Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein confirmed to senators in a closed door meeting that the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election has morphed beyond just a counterintelligence investigation, and now includes a criminal investigation.

It is believed that the news of memos kept by former FBI Director James Comey have necessitated a need for outside legal counsel for President Trump, and his advisers are pressing him to hire someone.

While the office of the president is represented by the White House counsel, presidents in the past have employed outside lawyers when their private actions were called into question.

Mr. Trump has signaled he is likely to hire a new lawyer, but has not yet made a decision, according to three people who have spoken with him. Aides to Mr. Trump did not immediately comment on his discussions.

Mr. Trump is said to recognize that he needs help beyond the White House counsel. But he is deeply cautious in selecting people he trusts, and he adds new people to his orbit slowly.

He may not have the luxury of moving slowly.

Those in the Trump inner circle are recommending that he go outside of his usual counsel, as well as the White House counsel, and find an independent lawyer who has some experience in Washington.

According to associates of Mr. Trump, the president has become mistrustful of many around him amid a spate of leaks about West Wing dysfunction. He is relying heavily on his daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as well as his longtime spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, and his personal bodyguard turned White House assistant, Keith Schiller. He has also been reaching out to several old campaign aides; the campaign manager he fired in June, Corey Lewandowski, was spotted twice in the West Wing this week.

It appears Trump is trying to get back to the high point of his experience as Candidate Trump. It’s got to be better than the realities of the job.

And much of this current nightmare for the president could have been avoided, had he kept his mouth shut… or deleted his Twitter account.